MONUMENT NO. 198239

The standing and buried remains of Kings Weston Roman Villa in Bristol. The winged corridor villa was discovered during the construction of the Lawrence Weston housing estate in 1947 and excavated between 1948 and 1950. Dating to the end of the third century AD the villa was bisected by the modern Long Cross road, partially destroying it. Two buildings were found but only the Eastern Building was fully excavated. This has been conserved and put on public display with on site interpretation.

The building was revealed to have an almost symmetrical plan, later developed in various phases. A bath suite, and various rooms of the west and east wings have been uncovered. A number of structural features including sandstone walls, decorated wall plaster, mosaic floors, as well as finds of domestic and everyday use and personal adornment were discovered, many of which are now in Bristol City Museum. The date of the Villa is not certain, though coin evidence probably dates it to the end of the third century AD. The earliest coin is of Emperor Claudius II (AD 268-70) and the latest of the House of Valentinian I (AD 364-83).

Other finds from the site include an Iron Age Dobunic silver quarter-stater; a 4th century coin hoard dated to AD 330-7 and a Palaeolithic axe.

Roman villa at King's Weston Park - bibliography. Full excavation report (3) - Finds included hoard of 6 coins AD 330-7 found in Room IV. "An ancient British silver coin was found in the S wall of Room VIII during its consolidation by the mason. The coin was possibly found by the original builders and then lost again during the erection of this wall. Obv Rude head in profile R. Rev Three tailed horse L. Cf Evans P1 F7. A Dobunic silver quarter-stater (at 11 1/2 grains, rather underweight. (3)

Perhaps as late as the inscribed coinage of the SW area. Summarised reports. (4-5)

AV 21 Excavation of a winged corridor villa, dated to c. AD 270-367/8. Here the internal court, with gravel floor, in which was built a large well built cooking hearth, is thought by D J Smith to invite re-interpretation as a 'kitchen-cum-living room' . The winged-corridor frontage was an original attribute of the house. Tesserae manufacturing was carried out here. Several mosaics, though of inferior character, and bath suite. A votive sheep burial was found buried at the main entrance to the villa house. Little now visible. (6-7)

Kings Weston Roman Villa was discovered during the construction of the Lawrence Weston housing estate (1947) in Bristol and the site was named after the house where it was found. Excavations carried out between 1948 and 1950 revealed a villa which had been bisected by Long Cross road partially destroying it. Two buildings were found but only the Eastern Building was fully excavated. A number of structural features including sandstone walls, decorated wall plaster, mosaic floors as well as finds of domestic and everyday use and personal adornment were uncovered.

The building was revealed to have an almost symmetrical plan which was developed in various phases. A bath suite, (Rooms 3, 4, and 5) and Room 13 were added later as were the furnace chamber and hypocaust in Room 11. The main entrance faced towards the hill and the threshold stone and a quantity of large broad-headed nails were found. These suggest that there was a large double wooden flanked by columns. The roof was mainly covered with large hexagonal slabs of grey sandstone.

A bath suite was discovered (Rooms 1 to 5) including the caldarium (Room 1) and tepidarium (Room 2) with mosaic floors. It was extended twice with the addition of the frigidarium and apodyterium (Rooms 3 and 4) and then a porch (Room 5). The West Wing (Rooms 6 and 7) may have been designed as a large living space and had mosaic floors. It could have been partioned and one part used as a triclinium. Other rooms uncovered were Rooms 8, 9, 10, the Porticus, Porch and Gravelled Court.The East Wing comprised Rooms 11 (with hypocaust), 12 (with a small furnace) and 13. The date of the Villa is not definitive, though from coin evidence it probably dates to the end of the third century AD. The earliest coin is of Emperor Claudius II (AD 268-70) and the latest to the House of Valentinian I (AD 364-83). (8)

Survey and limited excavation in association with the conservation of the hypocaust in Room 11. (9)